Another giant in the world of drag racing has left this mortal coil. “Broadway” Bob Metzler the man who opened Great Lakes Dragaway in 1955 and built it into one of the most famed and well known strips in the country passed away today at the age of 83 years. Metzler was an innovator in how he drew crowds to his strip and was truly one of the first in the field that understood people came through the gates to see a show, hence his creation of events like the wheelstander nationals, and other “outside the box” thinking during the golden age of the sport in the 1960s and 1970s.
Metzler’s flamboyance in promotion was not limited to just his ideas on how to put people in the seats. He got the nickname “Broadway” due to his wild wardrobe. It was not uncommon to find the guy strolling around the track at big races in everything from crushed velvet suits to stuff that looked like pajamas, complete with flamed pants, as seen below.
Metzler operated Great Lakes Dragaway from opening day in 1955 until he sold the place in 1996. Some say that it has not been the same since and it would be tough to refute their claims. Metzler was a once in a lifetime type guy. He loved drag racing and was inspired by his visits to California strips in the early 1950s while stationed there as a US Marine. When he came home from his service, supposedly with a wad of cash he had earned as a gambler, he hooked up with a group of hot rod clubs in the Wisconsin and Illinois area and decided to spend his money on a big plot of land in Union Grove, Wisconsin. That plot of land became the legendary Great Lakes Dragaway.
Metzler started running a major league match race at Union Grove in the 1950s called the, “Olympics of Drag Racing”. That race quickly launched the star of the track nationally and it didn’t take long for Bob to figure out ways to keep his place in the limelight of the sport’s small but determined media base of the era. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that for many years, people across the country were just as well informed about what was happening at Union Grove as they were about what was going on at the California strips which normally dominated the headlines. There isn’t a “name” racer of the era that didn’t make laps, and lots of them at Great Lakes Dragaway. The Olympics of Drag Racing continues today as the third longest running event in drag racing history.
Finally, the image below depicts a scene that happened many times over the years. It is Metzler sitting on the nose cone of a jet dragster, in this case the Green Mamba of Doug Rose. The first time he did it was on the nose of Fred Sibley’s USA-1 machine in the 1960s. We’ve heard a million versions of it, but the one we have heard the most had the track down for a rain delay. In a bid to keep people entertained, Metzler sat on the nose with a beer in his hand while Sibley did burner pops and fire bursts down the track at low speed. Understandably, people went completely ape shit and Metzler performed this act hundreds of time thereafter.
“Broadway” Bob Metzler is a member of the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, the Jet Car Hall of Fame, and is one of the men who turned drag racing from a niche activity that scared churchgoing grandmothers into a part of the cultural fabric of America and a national craze for several decades. He was much loved by racers, fans, and media people as well. Although he has been away from Great Lakes Dragaway since 1996, he is still revered in that region of the country and by drag racing history lovers like us.
Here’s to hoping that the Budweiser is cold and the burner pops are hot wherever Bob is now.
This was a man who lived at the dragstrip…literally. His house was at the track. RIP Broadway.
Broadway Bob was such a fun person to know. I spent a lot of time at Great lakes in the 80’s and 90’s and he always remembered my name. I had to honor of sharing a few CFB’s with him in November 09 at the MCACN show. He was a legend in his own time!
I grew up going to Da Grove. Great place to be when drag racing was drag racing. Broadway Bob…….prayers go out to and your family. Death is just the begining.
Bob rode Dan Sullivan’s Chicago Rush Jet for many, many years. Bob helped shape Drag Racing to the sport it is today, and was a real showman who truly LOVED what he did, and LOVED the people even more. I visited him 7/22, and he told me to “tell all the racers I Love them all”… He was Smiling and in good spirits right to the end. Bob truly was a legend whose name and spirit will live on in the hearts of all of us who knew him best. He was one of a kind…
Heard a few months ago that Bob was sick thru a longtime friend of his. I remember back in the early 90s I pulled up to a stoplight in a lifted ramcharger I had. It was around 10 at night on a Tuesday. All of a sudden some crazy guys banging on my passanger window, scared the shiznit outa me. Bob had jumped out of his car to hand me some flyers for his upcoming 4X4 mud drags. All he said was “Nice truck, you should bring it down. Give some flyers to your buddys” The guy lived and breathed to promote Da Grove and absolutely loved what he did. He will be missed.
I literally grew up at Da Grove. My dad was racing there almost every weekend during my childhood. Hell, I think my mom has a picture of me in a baby buggy and my dad making a pass. That was in 1964. In the early 70’s my dad retired from racing, but in late 80’s, I started. Where did we go…Da Grove. I even have a timeslip somewhere with Bob’s autograph on it. Boy I miss the old days…
My partner Vic Cecelia and I started racing at “The Grove” back in the early 60’s. We opened “The Quick Shop Performance Center” in 1970 in Milwaukee. We ran “street” cars, B/G, SS, and finally we teamed up with Charlie Proite and ran the AA/FC the “Pabst Charger”. Bob was waiting for us in the shut down area one day and said, “I will give you guys $250 to pour fuel into that thing and DRIVE it back down the return road” and slam the throttle every 50 feet or so”. The return road was right in front of the grandstands, only a few feet away. So after it cooled down a little, Victor climbed back in and drove it back to the pits, stopping to do THREE burnouts! The crowd went nuts.
Only “Broadway Bob” would think of something like that.
Rest In Peace my old friend. The rest of us are not far behind I am sure.
John La Prest
Still living in Milwaukee today and seems like I spent most of my youth and then some at Great Lakes in the 60’s and 70’s. Saw every “name” racer run that famed quarter mile at some point. Bob was always there to see that his customer was happy and having a good time. Had the opportunity to talk with Bob at the NHRR in 07′ (I think) and even though a tad older, still dressed in his outlandish flamboyant style and was having the time of his life visiting with the “geezers” from the day. RIP “Broadway” Bob !!
The first time I took my son to Da Grove, Bob was riding on the back of Robosaur with a sword in one hand and a beer in the other. We then went on to meet him in his store at the track. My son just called me to tell me of his passing .We will miss him greatly. There will never be another showman like him again.
Like others, I grew up going to “The Grove” and Bob was not only involved and approachable, but deeply concerned about the racers and fans. His love of racing, love of the fans, and love putting on a show have never been duplicated. He will and has been missed. God bless.
When I go, now I’ll know there will be a Drag Strip Up there, with Bob promoting it. Thank’s for great memories.
My kids still talk about Da Grove when Big Daddy Garlits’ Swamp Rat forced them to hold their ears and shake in mock fright. At the same time, I watched them afterward, wearing the biggest grins I’ve ever seen.
Workin for charlie proite( Pabst Charger fame) our N/TF car TELSTAR still race there twice a year bob was a good friend to us. Charlie tells this story. bob always threw a big end of year party in milwakee at the down town Hoilday Inn in 72 bob had charlie and russel long bring the PBR CHARGER to be on display at this party. Well bob had this idea to have russel do a burnout right downtown between the tall buildings charlie had told russel that it might blow the windows out of the hotel so charlie pulled the rig down to the end of the block pulled the gate down an told russel to do the burnout shut it off and coast right up in trailer so if anything happend they could make a quick exit well russel did the burnout the windows blew out charlie got away with russel still in the car and broadway paid the tab . RIP Broadway .
I met Bob at Da grove when I was up on business in the area a few years back, you are all right, he lived for the sport and the track. I went back to Seattle and was talking to Jim Green and mentioned Bob to him, they both remembered each other from the 60’s. In fact as I sit here now at my computer, I have the cards that he (Bob) signed for me when I was there.One of him sitting on a Jet Dragster and one with Big Daddy Don Garlits. RIP Bob
With out “Broadway Bob’s” support of local racers, many of us would not have had the the oppoutunity to move up to NHRA regional and national events. Thank you “Broadway” for all the Pro Light, Super Street, Super Gas and Super Comp. events you held so we couild hone our skills! Rest In Peace, “Broadway Bob” from all of us at Kenosha’s own Honey-Wieske-Blagec Budweiser Racing Team. Drivers, Chuck Micholson and Randy Kersten and Crew Chief Ron “Buggsy” Brunning.